The concept of maintaining proper water characteristics in water containers such as spas, swimming pools or the like by rendering harmful organisms ineffective is known in the art. Typically, chlorine or chlorine in combination with a source of metal ions has been used to purify pools, spas hot tubs and the like. In one type of dispensing system water is continually directed through an inline dispenser, which is located in an inline circulation line that circulates water back and forth from the body of water such as a swimming pool. The inline dispenser may contain a dispersant for affecting a water characteristic, an example of a dispersant for use in dispensers for pools is a mineral pack sold by King Technology of Hopkins Minn. The inline dispenser includes a selector valve that diverts a portion of the water in the inline circulation line through a source of chorine, which is in solid form. The solid chlorine slowly dissolves as it is continually dispersed into the circulation line and subsequently into the body of water as the water flows through the inline dispenser. In some cases minerals, such as silver, copper or zinc are also placed in a chamber in the inline dispenser so that the metal ions therefrom can be used to supplement the chlorine in ridding the water of harmful organisms. In these types of systems the selector valve on the inline dispersal valve is set to control the flow of water through a chamber containing the dispersants based on an average use of the pool or spa. An example of such a type of inline dispenser with a selector valve is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,566.
In other types of systems, such as dose systems, liquids, which directly affect the water characteristics of the body of water, may be dosed directly into the body of water. For example, to control the chlorine level of the body of water one may periodically dose a liquid solution of sodium hypochlorite directly into the body of water. Similarly, other water characteristics such as pH may also be controlled by the liquid dosing of a pH solution such as an acid solution or an alkaline solution directly into the body of water. In these types of dose system the active ingredient, which is dosed into the body of water, typically comprises a dispersant in liquid form.
While the source of chlorine used to control the level of chlorine in a body of water may be a solid or liquid in some systems the source of chorine maybe generated by an electrolytic cell, which can also be placed in an inline circulation line.
Thus, multiple ways exist to control or maintain an acceptable level of a halogen such as chlorine or bromine in a body of water, for example a pool, a hot tub or other contained bodies of water, which may be used for recreational or nonrecreational purposes. In the inline method water is circulated through an inline dispenser that includes a selector valve for directing a portion of the water in an inline circulation system through an inline dispenser chamber, which contains chlorine in a solid form such as a puck or tablets. By adjusting the selector valve one can increase or decrease the flow of water through the inline dispenser chamber, which contains the chlorine. Controlling the flow of water through the inline dispenser chamber with the selector valve allows one to maintain the proper chlorine level in the body of water through a continual and gradual release of chlorine into the inline circulation system. If more or less chlorine is needed in the body of water the selector valve on the inline dispenser can be manually adjusted to increase or decrease the flow of water thereby increasing or decreasing the release rate of chlorine into the body of water. Such inline dispensing system have the advantage that the user does not have to come into direct contact with the dispersant. For example, solid chlorine in pucks or the tablets may be placed in cartridges or containers, which are placed in a chamber in the inline dispenser. Such inline dispensers may also be used in conjunction with a secondary dispersant such as a source of metal ions. The benefit of the use of metal ions as a supplement to the chlorine is that presence of metal ions allow one to use reduced levels of chlorine since the metal ions can also kill harmful organisms. Although such dispensing systems work well they are not responsive to changes in the level of a water-affecting characteristic in the body of water since the dispensing system is always on when the recirculation pump is in operation. In addition the selector valve on the inline dispenser requires manual adjustment if one wants to increase or decrease the level of dispersant in the pool by changing the chlorine delivery rate.
Another method of controlling the level of chlorine in a pool is the dose method. In the dose method one periodically doses an active ingredient such as a liquid solution of sodium hypochlorite or the like directly into the body of water when the level of chlorine falls below a minimum level. Oftentimes this method is used to shock a pool to rid the pool of accumulated bacteria or algae.
In some systems one measures the level of a water characteristic, for example, pH or chlorine in the body of water. A controller using the information can increase or decrease the level chlorine in the body of water by dosing a liquid solution of an active ingredient such as sodium hypochlorite directly into the body of water. Such types of active ingredient dosing systems, which dose a chlorine dosing solution, have the disadvantage that the user may accidentally be harmed by coming into direct contact with the chlorine dosing solution either during the preparation of the chlorine dosing solution or the delivery of the chlorine dosing solution. Nevertheless this type of dose system where one doses an active ingredient allows one to quickly increase the level of chlorine in response to the measured level of chlorine.
In inline dispensing system, such as in a pool system, the selector valve on an inline dispenser is manually set to maintain the proper level of chlorine in the pool based on the pool size and use. Such systems typically operate with no sensors since they rely on the manual adjustment of the flow through an inline dispenser, which contains water purification such as minerals and/or chlorine in solid form.
The present system eliminates disadvantages of the liquid dosing system and the inline dispensing systems while providing a system with benefits and advantages over such systems.